Tag: Food

Happy January and New Year to you! I hope 2019 is treating you well so far!

A couple of months ago, my mother and I took a trip across the pond to England. We had been talking about taking this trip for years and the timing and arrangements just worked out perfectly. I have a few blog posts to recap our trip because we did and saw a lot. I hope you enjoy these posts and learning about the places that we traveled to! Some of these posts will be lengthy and might be split into multiple parts. This is one of those posts! Part 1 will consist of all the culinary aspects of Falmouth, and part 2 will be everything else that we did.

After arriving in London and spending a day in Southampton with my sweet friend Maggie–we took a train to Falmouth in Cornwall! (PS–Maggie has a super cute Etsy shop that you should check out here) We decided to travel by train this trip, as I was not particularly keen on driving as much as we would be traveling. If you can find decent flights and save your pennies for rail passes–I highly recommend this mode of transportation!

We’re both huge fans of Poldark and seeing areas of Cornwall on the show made us want to travel there. Upon research, Falmouth in Cornwall was a harbor town that had a lot of history, breathtaking views, and amazing food.

We arrived in Falmouth mid-afternoon and walked from the train station to our Airbnb. We booked our house for two nights, and I’m so glad we did because we were able to get more rest than if we went to a different place each night. Once we checked into our house and dropped off our luggage, we made our way down to the high street and walked to dinner. I did A LOT of food research for this trip and so we knew exactly where we would be eating each day.

We were so hungry that I didn’t even remember to take food-pics but, trust me, the food was so good! We shared gluten-free garlic rolls and then had seafood kinds of pastas. If you need to eat gluten-free–there are so many options at Zizzi! We both said that as long as we were in a coastal town, we were definitely going to eat as much coastal food as we could, haha!

The next morning we went to The Courtyard Deli & Kitchen for a coffee and gluten-free rolls. To me, there is no better way to celebrate traveling than with a cup of coffee. The rolls were served with butter, jam, and marmalade and were the perfect meal for beginning a busy day. The staff was so friendly and the atmosphere was really cozy. The deli was tucked away behind some buildings on the high street, so the deli felt really quiet and relaxing.

Around lunchtime, we were getting cold, tired, and jet-lag had majorly kicked in. Our Airbnb hostess recommended that we go to Oggy Oggy for Cornish Pasties (pronounced past-ies, not paste-ys). We made our way back to the high street and found the emerald green eatery. The staff was, again, so friendly and made us fresh gluten-free pasties. It took about 30 minutes for our food to be ready, but it was warm and gave us a chance to rest while we ate. I had a cheese and potato pasty and my mom had a steak and potato pasty. I definitely recommend you try Oggy Oggy for pasties, even if you can eat glutinous ones, haha!

This is the meal that I was most excited about while we were in Falmouth. We made a reservation to eat gluten-free fish and chips at Rick Stein, and the night we went there was also a special that included a glass of Prosecco. BEST FISH AND CHIPS EVER. The serving sizes were giant, but don’t worry–we managed to eat it all. The fish was fresh and the breading was crispy, crunchy, and best of all, gluten-free. The chips (or fries as we call in the states) were delicious and were also served with sweet green peas. Mashed peas are a staple with fish and chips, but we were unable to eat the mashed version due to it not being gluten-free. For the price that we paid for dinner, we could not believe the incredible quality. The restaurant was also very family-friendly as there were many families with small children the night we were there.

More on Falmouth will be coming in part 2. I can’t wait to share it because of how much I loved Falmouth and I wish we could have stayed longer.

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This past weekend I posted on my Instagram that cooking has become my favorite thing to do in my new house. I find cooking to be a great stress reliever, it’s relaxing, and it inspires me to create new things. I’ve been trying to eat as clean as possible in the last few months and have found a couple of easy and healthy recipes that I make all the time. In particular, I have been making these Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins and they only consist of 4 ingredients! If that’s not easy then I don’t know what is. These recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo friendly.

All you need for these muffins are:

4 ripe bananas

4 eggs

1 cup of almond flour

1 cup of blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly coat a muffin pan with coconut oil.

Begin by peeling the 4 bananas and hand-mashing them or whisking them in an electric mixer. I love my Kitchenaid so much and get so excited when I get to use it. Break down the bananas until the consistency is smooth.

Next, add the eggs and almond flour to the bananas and blend together again until the mixture is smooth. I have been making my own almond flour lately and will probably write a blog post about that soon!

Pour batter into the muffin pan. I like to pour my blended mixture into a Pyrex measuring cup so that the batter goes into the muffin pan evenly.

Next, add the blueberries on top of the batter. I found that it’s easier to add the blueberries in at the end, so that they don’t sink down to the bottom if blended with the batter, and the distribution is more even.

Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes and then let cool. Enjoy!!

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Hi there, it’s me again and I’ve missed you! I ended up taking a longer break from blogging than I intended, but sometimes you just need to take a break and focus your attention elsewhere. I have to remind myself that my blogging isn’t something that I HAVE to do but rather it’s something that I GET to do. I’m glad that I get to be back to blogging and this space!

I’m also excited today because I get to share with you what came in this month’s Bless Box, especially since it’s a collaboration with ELLE Magazine!

Brightening and depuffing? Yes please! I have had the worst allergy eyes lately and I know that this is going to be used very quickly. I have wanted to try Sunday Riley products for a long time as well because I have heard so many good things about their brand!

Dove Exfoliating Body Polish | Retail $5.00

I am ready for some warmer weather for sure but I’m also definitely not sure that my skin looks the best right now. This looks like it’ll be a hydrating exfoliant for getting rid of my dry, dead skin–just in time for spring!

Maybelline Total Temptation Mascara | Retail $9.49

This came in perfect time because I just ran out of mascara! I don’t know what happened to my eyelashes but they seem to have broken off this winter–so I’m anxious to see if this formula really does help with providing some volume.

Nuun Hydration Vitamins in Grapefruit Orange | Retail $7.00

I love these so much! I have bought multiple tubes of this product before, especially when I have been training for runs. Nuun is such a great alternative to Gatorade or other energy drinks because the ingredients are more natural, it provides extra hydration, and it also includes vitamins. All you need is a bottle of water and one of these tabs and you’re set to begin hydrating!

Ren Skincare & Now to Sleep Pillow Spray | Retail $ 10.00

This smells like a spa and I think it’ll be so relaxing to use! I love a good pillow spray for those nights that you just feel little stressed, wound up from too much caffeine, or just can’t seem to fall asleep.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Crushed Mineral Blush | Retail $22.00

This also came in perfect time because the blush I have been using is getting old and probably needs to be tossed. I think this blush color is perfect for spring and because it’s a mineral powder–you don’t need much for the pigment to appear.

Hippeas White Vegan Cheddar Puffs | Retail $2.50

These were promptly consumed following the taking of this photo. I was hangry–sorry not sorry! Hippeas are a much healthier version of other cheese puffs and they taste so good! I have eaten these before in airports when I’ve needed a snack and I recommend you also give them a try!

Hollywood Fashion Secrets Fashion Tapes | Retail $11.00

No one likes a fashion faux pas or a wardrobe malfunction! Fashion tape is such a useful thing to have sometimes because it helps to keep everything in place, without having harsh reactions to your skin.

Lifeline Skincare | Retail $ 9.99

I have not heard of this brand before but I’m always excited to try out new skin care products!

The most exciting thing in this month’s Bless Box though is a complementary one-year subscription to ELLE Magazine! How fun!

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February’s Bless Box was all about self-care, self-love, and all things rosy feeling. I love that the boxes each month revolve around a specific theme and that there is usually always something new to try out in each box. If you want to see what came in the February Bless Box, keep on reading! I hope you are able to treat yourself with some self-care tonight!

I like that this brand’s formula does not have the majority of harmful chemicals that most other brands do. I am finding out more and more that a great form of self-care is to keep your body as clean as possible when is comes to the things you put in and on your body. This shade is so pretty for the spring!

Maybelline Python Metalic Lip Kit | Retail $9.99

This lip kit is definitely something different from what I normally use but I think it looks fun! The kit comes with a cream lipstick shade (on the left) and then a metallic powder that you finish the look with (on the right). This would be really fun to use if you have a special night out!

True Citrus Raspberry Lemonade | Retail $9.99

HUM Nutrition Green Superfood Powder | Retail $5.00

I have tried both of these before and they are so good! I like taking the lemonade packets with me on the go and I think they are a lot healthier for you than other drink mixes. The superfood powder is really good in smoothies and I’m excited to try this new flavor!

NuFACE Prep-N-Glow Cloths | Retail $2.00

Pur-Lisse Blue Lotus 4-in-1 Eye Adore Serum | Retail $33.00

Both of these skincare items look like they would be great for traveling! The facial cloth can fit right into my purse or travel bag and will help to eliminate having to carry around some other products. I love getting eye cream samples too because they are usually just enough for one trip and they are so compact. I’m looking forward to trying these out!

Clarins Instant Light Comfort Lip Oil in Candy | Retail $10.40

Maybelline City Mini Eyeshadow Palette | Retail $9.99

This lip oil is so nice! I’ve been testing it out for the last few days and it has really helped to hydrate my chapped lips and also give a subtle hint of color. Clarins is such a luxurious brand and it’s fun to be able to try this product. These eyeshadow palettes are also so creamy, blendable, and compact. Bless Box sent all of the newest shades in a previous box, which was awesome, so I know that this will be a great gift to someone else.

Pura Vida Bracelet | Retail $5.00

Melinda Maria Amari Mini Necklace | Retail $48.00

I love simple but unique jewelry and I was really excited to receive some new items! Pure Vida bracelets are so affordable, colorful, and come in so many styles. And how cute is this gold necklace?? I know that I’m going to get a lot of use out of this necklace.

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January was just so busy that I didn’t get a chance to post my favorites for that month. Ahh! Instead, I’m going to combine my January favorites with my February favorites and double up on the fun! Yay for you, haha! I really like doing posts like this because they’ve helped me get into the habit of intentionally looking for things to enjoy and be grateful for. Do you have anything in particular that you’ve been enjoying this month?

Vital Proteins Collagen Powder

I have heard a lot of things about collagen protein and how it’s good for your hair, skin, nails. I was so excited when this came in a Bless Box! Collagen protein is also a good alternative for dairy/whey-free protein. I tried mixing this with only water but wasn’t really a fan of how that tasted. However, I did mix this in with smoothies and it was much better. I did see an improvement with hair my hair, skin, and nails felt after using this!

‘Tis The Season Candle from Bath & Body Works

As you can see, I’ve burned this candle a lot lately! This candle is the perfect scent for transitioning out of the holidays because it smells fresh, spicy, and fruity all at the same time.

The Greatest Showman Soundtrack

I wasn’t planning on seeing this movie because it didn’t really interest me from the trailer and I didn’t want to see it just because everyone else was. However, I did go see it with my mom and youngest sister because they really wanted to see it, and you guys–it’s totally worth all the hype! I have been listening to the soundtrack so much in the last two months and you can listen to it too on Spotify. This cast is so musically talented and the songs are super catchy. I think that this movie could easily be a classic for years to come.

Eye Cream & Hand Cream

I have been using this eye cream the last two months (I received it in a subscription box but can’t remember which one it was, oops!) and it’s been great for the mornings when my eyes feel dark and puffy. The applicator is a flat metal tip and so it’s already cooling to the skin when you use it. I have also been using my trusty L’Occitane hand cream because it’s been so cold and my hands have been so dry. I really like the citrus scent of this hand cream and also that it’s now made in a gel format and absorbs quicker.

L’Oreal Paris Purify & Unclog Pure-Sugar Scrub

This face scrub has been fun to use because it’s like scrubbing a kiwi on your face, haha! I needed something gentle to help exfoliate dry skin and this has been a great product. It almost starts to self-heat once you begin using it. I have heard good things, also, about these new L’Oreal face scrubs/masks and I’m impressed with how affordable they are.

Wen Winter Cranberry Mind Replenishing Treatment Mist

I talked about this treatment mist in a Bless Box post and I’ve still been enjoying it! This mist is so cooling and refreshing on the skin. I have noticed that my skin looks much more hydrated after using this. Plus, the scent is also really nice!

Oversized Oblong Scarf & Loft Click Bracelet

I love canary yellow. A lot. Aside from my typical black, white, navy, and grey–this is my spirit color. I found this scarf at Target for $5 and knew it was a good investment purchase. This scarf is so soft and I have just enjoyed wearing it. I’m going to Maine in a few weeks and this will definitely be coming with me. Another thing I have been wearing a lot is this marble click bracelet from Loft. I tried to find a similar one to it to link and just wasn’t able to find one, sorry! One of my sisters gifted this to me a few years ago for my birthday and it’s been a great staple piece of jewelry for me because of the gold, grey, and white.